Fountain paint brush



Aug. 16, 1938. H. F. MITCHELL 2,127,090

FOUNTAIN PAINT BRUSH Filed March 20, 1957 HHHy I.

UWM!!! 47 Z IIIHII Illl I ATTORNEYS.

Patented Aug. 16,1938 Y 2,127,000

TJNTTED STATES PATENT oFFicE FOUNTAIN PAINT BRUSH Hollis F. Mitchell, Indianapolis, Ind., assigner of twelve percent to William M. Clark, twentyeight percent to William Emrich, Jr., and eight percent jointly to William M. Clark and William Einrich, Jr., both of Indianapolis, Ind.

Application March 20, 1937, Serial No. 132,004

10 Claims. (Cl. 15-128) This invention relates to what is generally stood from the accompanying drawing and the known as a fountain paint brush. This applicafollowing description and claims:

tion is a continuation-in-part of a prior appli- In the drawing, Fig. 1 is an enlarged central cation, Serial No. 70,092, filed March 21, 1936, sectional View of a fountain brush embodying the entitled Fountain paint brush device. invention, the valve control portion being shown 5 The chief object of this invention is to provide in elevation, the dotted lines indicating the nal a fountain brush or like device construction adjustment possible when the brush is pracwhich will eliminate the dipping of the brush into tically Worn out. the material to be applied by the brush. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the brush shown Another object of the invention is to provide in Fig. lbut is taken at right angles thereto and 10 for the owing of the paint or like from the brush on line 2-2 of Fig. l and in the direction of the in band o1' stream form. arrows, said brush, however, being shown pro- Another object of the invention is to arrange vided with a remote control attachment. the brush such that as the bristles wear the im- Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 and of a modil5 mediate supply means for supplying paint to the fied form of brush, the remote control attachbristles may be adjusted in accordance with ment being omitted for clearness.

bristle wear. In Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing, I0 indicates Another object of the invention is to flexibly a base provided with a plurality of apertures II connect the immediate paint supply means of the extending therethrough, the apertures being brush when desired, so that for certain classes of herein shown in alignment and parallel to each 20 work (other than :dat Work) flipping of the paint other. A central aperture I3 is also provided.

due to bristle exposure of the supply means, is The bristles I4 are suitably secured to the base.

prevented. This may be of molded rubber, or the like, if de- The chief feature of the invention consists in sire-d. The aperture I3 may be threaded to rethe construction of a fountain brush capable of ceive the externally threaded tubular member I5 25 accomplishing the foregoing objects as well as all having the coaxial opening I6 therein. the objects recited by the aforementioned co- Press-tted or molded in the base I0 and posipending application and the features specifically tioned in the apertures II, are the tubes I1 indisclosed herein are in .addition to the features ternally threaded as at I8 and terminating in a 3.0 disclosed in the before mentioned copending apfrusto-conical mouth I9. plication. A head structure 20 includes a chamber 2| and Still a further feature of the invention cona flange 22, the latter bearing on the gasket 23 sists in providing a remote control device for the of suitable material and interposed between the brush and mountable upon the brush to permit flange and the base. The head 20 is nested in a the brush operator to hold the brush in anyone well formed by the band 24 suitably secured to 35 of several diifeient manners and yet at the same and peripherally enveloping the base Ill andy protime have complete control over the paintsupply. jecting in opposite directions therefrom to enclose Another feature of the invention consists in the bristles adjacent their connection to the base the addition of flared flexible tips upon the ends and to form said Well. The head 2e is apertured of the bristle enclosed flexible paint supplying as at 25 adapted to receive a tubular portion 26, 40 tubes, which ileXible tips are also bristle enclosed. the bore of the latter being internally threaded as Another feature of the invention consists in the at 21 and Deal" its lOWel end being DTOVdSd With detachable association of the several parts so TEHSSFS ports 01' passages 23 discharging t0 the that not only can cleaning of the entire brush be Cham er effected most expeditiously and efficiently but the The tubular pomo 26 Sultably Supports a' 45 tive detachable parts are of such character thumb Operable Valve 29 and Connects a? at 30 lespec th b h, to a tubular handle structure broadly designated that for replacement purpses when e rus by the numeral 3|, the latter terminating in a bristles are worn out, there 1s required only a new threaded tubular end 32 which mounts a retainbase with the new bristles supported thereby and ing threaded Collar. 01. nut 33 The paint supply 50 new tube tips, if necessary. is Connected to end 32 Other features of this invention will be more A remote Control arrangement may be assofully' Sel', Olth hereinafter in the detailed de- Ciated with said Valve and the same is illusscription. trated in Fig. 2. It includes an apertured an- The full nature of the invention will be underv choring end 34, a hand engageable portion 35, 55

the latter portion being channel or U-shaped in cross section and the sides 36 partially embracing the handle 3|. Portions 35 and 36 are oiset laterally and outwardly as at 31 and 38, respectively, and thence downwardly as at 39 and 49, and the latter portion merges with the extension 4I of the portion 39. Suitably secured to the interior of portion 31 is a clip 42 and the same is adapted to lie below the head of the valve 29 while the portion 39 lies above the same. The side portions 46 adjacent thereto thus form with portions 39 and clip 42 a four-sided pocket that receives the head.

This remote control attachment is readily applied to the brush handle by merely removing the nut 33 and telescoping the apertured portion 34 over the exposed threaded end 32 and in this movement registering the remote control device such that the head of the valve 29 nests in the pocket, as shown in Fig. 2. 'I'hereupon the nut 33 is replaced which secures the handle in position and permits valve control by manipulation of the remote control device. This permits the brush operator to operate valve 29 to control the supply of paint to the bristles, such control being effected by the operator independent of the position in which he holds the brush. This device, therefore, prevents fatigue and does not necessitate the brush operator always holding the brush in a predetermined position-that is, a position wherein the thumb always must be in registration with the valve 39. It is to be understood Figs. 1 and 2 relate to the same brush, although the latter figure shows the addition of the remote control attachment.

Reference will again be had to Fig. 1. In this igure the handle structure adjacent the valve 29 is shown provided with a shoulder 43 and between said shoulder and the embossment 44 on the head is interposed a gasket 45.

Slidably mounted in each of the tubes I1 is a flexible tube 46. This tube, as shown clearly in the lower left hand portion of Fig. l, is a double wound spring, the exterior tubular spring structure being indicated by the numeral 46a and the interior by the numeral 46h. The upper end of the tubular portion supports an externally threaded tubular head 41 having a. diametrical slot 48 therein for screw driver engagement. If desired,

the connection between the tube 46 and the tubular head may be of rotative character. In normal operation, however, the two are rigidly associated together. In either event, the rotation of the tubular head secures axial adjustment of the tube 46. The limit of such adjustment is shown by the dotted lines in the left hand portion of Fig. 1 about the middle of the ligure.

The lower end of the tube 46 is provided with a metallic tip having the tubular portion 49 and the attened ilared portion 56. The same supports and discharges into an elongated flexible tip structure having the tubular portion 5I and the flattened portion 52. A split ring or lock 53 secures the metallic tip to the end of the tube 46 and when thus secured, it will be obvious that the flexible tips are simultaneously secured to the tubes.

Whenever it is desired to yieldingly associate the ilexible tubes together for substantial unit movement and prevent undue relative movement therebetween, the purpose for which will be readily apparent to painters, there is provided a exible connection. This may be merely a leather strip 54 apertured at 55 and the tubes 46 are positioned inthe apertures. Thus, all the tubes 46 are connected together for relative unitary movement, although relative independent movement within the limits f the tying or connecting device is permitted.

Each of the apertures II is provided with a tube I1 and each tube I1 supports a tubular structure such as last described, provided with the exible leather tip 52. The central tubular supply means is mounted slightly differently and reference will now be had to substantially the central portion of Fig. 1.

Tubular member I has its coaxial opening I6 internally threaded in the same manner as the interior of the tubes I1 are threaded as at I8. It also is externally threaded near its upper end as at 56 and is threaded into a nut 51 embedded or molded in the chamber exposed face of the base I6. A nut 58 is threaded upon the opposite end 59 of the enlarged portion I5 and bears against the bristle supporting face of the base. Thus, member I5 is rigidly locked in and to and supported by the base I6. The tubular extension 59 terminates at its lower end in a frusto-conical portion 60, portions 59 and 60 being substantially similar to the bristle exposed portion of tube I1 and its frusto-conical end I9. The interior of extension 59 is threaded as at 6I similar to the threading I8 in tube I1, so that one of the flexible tube units 46 with its tubular threaded member 48 may be associated therewith and with member I5.

Somewhat similar to the anchorage between the handle and the base shown in the before mentioned application, there is herein illustrated an anchorage as follows: Portion I5 includes an opposite tubular extension 62 which may or may not be internally threaded, as desired. It is, however, externally threaded as at 63 to receive the internally threaded portion 21 of the tubular portion 26. Member I5 by reason of its threaded engagements with the respective nuts 51 and 58 is non-rotatably mounted in the brush base I0 and when the tubular portion 26 of the handle structure is inserted in the aperture in the head 20 and threadedly engages the threaded extension 62 of the member I5, the handle and the base are drawn together with the gaskets 45 and 23 interposed therebetween and with the head structure 20 between the gaskets. Thus, a closed and relatively sealed supply chamber is provided, paint being supplied through the tubular handle and discharging to the tube I1 by way of the chamber`2l fed by ports 28, the central tubular structure being fed direct from the handle.

From the foregoing it will be obvious that, as the several threaded members 41 are gradually elevated toward the base I0 to retract the discharge ends of the tubes in accordance with bristle wear or for flow adjustment and smoothness of operation, the life of the brush is determinable by the wear to which the bristles are subjected and the nal limit of tube adjustment.

For cleaning purposes, the chamber may be readily opened by disconnecting the handle from the base which exposes the interior of the handle for cleaning purposes, the head exposed portion of the base for cleaning purposes and the head passage and chamber. The metallic tip and the exible tip may be readily detached from the free end of each exible supply tube, and then if the connecting member 54 is employed, it may be removed from all of the tubes. Thereupon each of the members 41 together with the tubes 46 may be unthreaded from the tube I1 and these tubes 46 cleaned. Then the tubes I1 and 59 as Well as the bristles may be cleaned. In this way the entire brush may be made ready for subsequent use with a different color or paint material. v

By the terminology paint herein, the same is used broadly and refers to any liquid surface covering material that may be applied like paint, even though not specifically of paint character, such as for example, enamel, and the like.

In Fig. 3 there is illustrated a modied form of the invention and for clearness only a portion of the handle is illustrated and the remote control attachment intentionally has been omitted. In this disclosure, there is illustrated a base H5 to which is suitably secured bristles IM and the band |24 is suitably associated therewith. A head member |20 includes a chamber |2|. The head member bears on a gasket |23 and bearing on the head member is a gasket |45. The handle |3| having the valve structure |29 includes the compression shoulder |43.

The brush shown herein is not a wide flat brush but a single feed brush, the base HB being provided with a bore H3 therethrough and having suitably secured thereto the nut |57. The tubular member ||5 has threaded connection with the nut |51 and is clampingly associated with the base by the nut |58. The tubular member ||5 includes the tubular extension |59 having the frusto-conical end ISB receiving the flexible tube |46, the latter supporting the metallic tip |50 secured as at |53 and supporting the flexible tip |52.

The member 5 includes an opposite extension |62 which is externally threaded .and is adapted to have threaded connection with the interiorly threaded extension on the handle |3|, which extension is substantially identical to that shown at 26 in Fig. l. It is, of course, to be un derstood that threaded within the tubular portion |59 is the threaded member 41.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in great detail herein, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character. The several modifications herein illustrated and/or described as well as others which will readily suggest themselves to persons skilled in this art, are all considered to be within the broad scope of the invention, reference being had to the appended claims, although the subject matter common to the present invention and the invention disclosed in the before mentioned copending application is specifically disclaimed herein, because it is claimed in the copending application.

As shown herein, the handle structure is interchangeable with respect to the brush heads and bases shown in Figs. 1 and 3 as well as others of similar character for other specific types of work.

The invention claimed is:-

1. In a fountain brush, the combination with a base, bristles supported thereby, and a handle, of a flexible supply tube supported by the base and enclosed by the bristles and terminating short of the free end thereof, a detachable metal tip secured to the bristle end of the tube, said tip being flared outwardly at its free end, and flexible distributing tip means upon the bristle end of the tube and extending beyond the metal tip toward the bristle free ends and secured to the tube in the anchorage of the tip thereto.

2. In a. fountain brush, the combination with an apertured base, bristles supported thereby, and a handle, of an interiorly threaded tube in the base aperture, extending toward the bristle tips and enclosed by the bristles and having a restricted outlet, a flexible supply tube supported in the threaded tube and having a threaded portion threaded therein for relative adjustment therebetween for the purpose described, and a flared tip means detachably secured to the free end of the supply tube, said threads permitting removal of the flexible tube from the base.

3. A device as dened by claim 2, characterized by the flared tip means including a metallic tip member and a flexible tip, the latter projecting beyond the former but terminating short of the bristle tips, said flexible tip being secured to the flexible tube by the metallic tip member.

4. In a fountain brush, the combination with an apertured base, bristles supported thereby and a handle, of an interiorly threaded tube in the base aperture, extending from the base toward the bristle tips and enclosed by the bristles and terminating approximately midway of the length of the bristles, and a supply distributing tube therein having threaded engagement with the interior threading and projecting from the threaded tube toward the bristle end, the threaded connection permitting positioning of the bristle end of the distributing tube in predetermined relation to the bristle ends in accordance with bristle wear.

5. In a fountain brush, the combination with a bristle supporting base having supply means carried by the base and enclosed by the bristles, and a relatively independent, detachable and apertured head, of an anchoring handle structure having one end arranged for connection to the base for clampingly associating the base, head and handle together and the other end arranged for supply connection, comprising a valve, a tube, a coupling therebetween, a nut on the other end of the tube, and a tubular handle member supported by and enclosing the tube and retained thereon by the coupling and nut.

6. A device as defined by claim 5, characterized by the addition of a remote control attachment having one end juxtapositioned relative to the bristles, an intermediate portion interlockingly associated with the valve, and an apertured and laterally projecting opposite end seated on the said other end of the tube between the handle member and the nut.

7. In a fountain brush, the combination with a handle, a brush base and bristles secured thereto, of metallic exible tube means supported by the base and enclosed by the bristles and terminating short of the free ends thereof and valve means controlling the supply to the tube means, said tube means including a pair of spirally wound wires, one within the other and in contact with each other.

8. In a fountain brush, the combination with a handle, a brush base and bristles secured thereto, of metallic flexible tube means supported by the base and enclosed by the bristles and terminating short of the free ends thereof and Valve means controlling the supply to the tube means, said tube means including a pair of spirally wound wires, one within the other and in contact with each other, a flared and flattened tip on the free end of said tubemeans.

9. In a fountain brush, the combination with a handle, a brush base and bristles secured thereto, of metallic flexible tube means supported by the base and enclosed by the bristles and terminating short of the free ends thereof and valve means controlling the supply to the tube means, said tube means including a pair of spirally Wound Wires, one within the other and in contact with each other, a flared and flattened metal tip on the free end of said tube means, and a ared and flattened exible tip projecting therefrom and into which the metal tip discharges, said metal tip being enveloped by the 'exible tip.

10. In a valve controlled fountain brush, the combination of a tubular handle, valve means at one end thereof having a brush exposed portion for manual operation, supply means at the opposite end of the handle and detachably connected thereto, a brush body connected to the valve end of the handle, and an elongated remote control device anchored at one end to the handle at the supply connection thereof and coextensive with the handle and projecting beyond the same in lapping relation to the brush body, said device including a complementary intermediate portion for detachable association with the valve exposed portion whereby device operation at any portion throughout the elongated length secures valve operation.

HOLLIS F. MITCHELL. 

